GOP advances Kavanaugh after Flake calls for FBI probe

Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., attends a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting today on Capitol Hill in Washington. Flake voted with his fellow Republicans on the committee today to send to the full Senate the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court, but after he announced that he would do so only if the FBI were to investigate the sexual assault allegations against the judge.

By LISA MASCARO, ALAN FRAM and MARY CLARE JALONICK

Associated Press

WASHINGTON - After a flurry of last-minute negotiations, the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced Brett Kavanaugh's nomination for the Supreme Court after agreeing to a late call from Republican Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona for a one week investigation into sexual assault allegations against the high court nominee.

However, it's unclear if Republican leaders - or President Donald Trump - will support Flake's call for the investigation or might instead press forward with a full Senate vote on Kavanaugh's nomination.